The Los Angeles Dodgers matched their franchise record of 106 victories in 2021 and still were unable to capture their ninth consecutive National League West title. Their streak was halted by their most hated rivals, as the San Francisco Giants set their franchise mark for wins to finish one game better in the division. The Dodgers did not have to wait long for the chance to exact revenge as they visit the Giants on Friday for Game 1 of their best-of-five NL Division Series. Los Angeles ended the regular season with a seven-game winning streak and squeaked past St. Louis in the NL Wild Card Game on Wednesday as Chris Taylor belted a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 3-1 triumph.
First pitch in this 2021 MLB playoff matchup at Oracle Park is scheduled for 9:37 p.m. ET. Los Angeles sends Walker Buehler (16-4, 2.47 ERA) to the mound against fellow right-hander Logan Webb (11-3, 3.03). Los Angeles is the -115 favorite (risk $115 to win $100) on the money line in the latest Dodgers vs. Giants odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total runs scored is 7.5. Before making any Giants vs. Dodgers picks, you need to see what SportsLine MLB expert Larry Hartstein has to say.
Hartstein, SportsLine’s senior analyst and an Early Edge podcast regular, is a blistering 86-59 in his last 145 MLB picks, returning more than $1,300. He is also 41-20 in his last 61 MLB picks overall. In addition, Hartstein has an amazing 35-18 record on his last 53 picks involving Los Angeles, returning more than $1,700. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, Hartstein has dialed in on Dodgers vs. Giants and just released his picks and analysis. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the MLB odds and betting lines for Giants vs. Dodgers:
- Dodgers vs. Giants money line: Los Angeles -115, San Francisco +105
- Dodgers vs. Giants run line: Los Angeles -1.5 (+150)
- Dodgers vs. Giants over-under: 7.5 runs
- LA: The Dodgers are 13-4 in their last 17 NLDS games
- SF: The Giants are 12-3 in their last 15 home postseason contests
Featured Game | San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Why you should back the Dodgers
Los Angeles was superb offensively during the regular season as it led the NL in runs (830) and was third with 237 homers. The team will be without Max Muncy, who belted a club-high 36 shots but will miss the series with an elbow injury, although five other players on the roster had at least 20 blasts in 2021. Meanwhile, trade-deadline acquisition Trea Turner led the majors with a .328 batting average and was first in the NL with 32 stolen bases.
The Dodgers also were tremendous on the mound, ranking first in the major leagues with a 3.01 team ERA. They ranked second in baseball in quality starts (74) and finished in the same spot in strikeouts with 1,599. Buehler had his best season to date, producing a major league-best 27 quality starts and finishing third in ERA while setting a career high in victories.
Why you should back the Giants
San Francisco also is on a roll, as it won eight of its last nine regular-season games and 12 of its final 15. The Giants posted the second-best home record in the majors this year, going 54-27 at Oracle Park, and led the NL with a franchise-record 241 home runs while ranking second in runs (804), ERA (3.24), hits (1,360) and batting average (,249). Brandon Crawford has not slowed down with age, as the 34-year-old shortstop set career highs with 24 homers and a team-leading 90 RBIs.
Webb’s first full season in the majors was a strong one as he won his final 10 decisions after losing at Colorado on May 5. The 24-year-old has gone 20 consecutive starts without a defeat, which matches the second-longest such streak in franchise history and is two behind the record set by Carl Hubbard from 1936-37. Webb, who has posted a 2.40 ERA during his unbeaten run, went 1-0 with a 2.25 mark in three turns against Los Angeles this year.
How to make Dodgers vs. Giants picks
Hartstein is leaning under on the run total and has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the money line. He’s sharing that Dodgers vs. Giants prediction only at SportsLine.
So who wins Giants vs. Dodgers in Game 1 of their 2021 NL Division Series? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the money line a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the money line to jump on, all from the Los Angeles expert who’s brought in over $1,700 to $100 players, and find out.
